Pilot lands on Bay of Plenty beach

A pilot who made a distress call while flying over the Bay of Plenty yesterday escaped injury after successfully landing his plane on a deserted beach.

Police said the man, who was understood to be in his 50s and the sole occupant of the two-seater aircraft, made the distress call about 2pm.

Maketu Fire Brigade chief fire officer Shane Beech said the man, who landed the plane on hard sand, was uninjured.